B. Sairam appointed chairman-cum-managing director of Coal India

B. Sairam officially assumed the role of chairman-cum-managing director of Coal India Limited (CIL) on December 15, 2025. He succeeds Sanoj Kumar Jha, additional secretary, Ministry of Coal, who had held the interim charge since November 1, 2025, following the superannuation of P. M. Prasad on October 31. Prior to this appointment, Sairam served as the CMD of Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL), a key subsidiary of CIL.

A veteran with three and a half decades in coal mining, Sairam emphasized CIL's commitment to increased coal production and improved quality supplies to meet national energy demands. Under his leadership, the company plans to actively diversify into solar power, critical mineral acquisitions, and coal gasification, while maintaining a strong focus on sustainable mining practices.

Sairam holds a mining engineering degree from the National Institute of Technology, Raipur, and an MBA in energy management from NTPC School of Business. His extensive experience spans various aspects of coal mine operations, planning, logistics, and regulatory affairs, including a tenure as director (technical) at Central Coalfields Limited.